No Kings
Yesterday was the latest in the “No Kings” rallies. If the gauge is the “body count”, the number of people who participate nationwide, then it was an unmitigated success. Over eight million people came out to protest in over 3000 separate events throughout the United States, and even internationally (CBS). That’s the second largest mass protest in American history. (The first was the very first Earth Day, where an estimated 20 million stood up for the environment).
What does “No Kings” want? First of all “No Kings” is only one part of the vast agglomeration of organizations that helped organize yesterday. Some are issues oriented: Indivisible, Alt National Park, 50501, the ACLU, Move On, Planned Parenthood, and the Human Rights Campaign. Others are more familiar to the political world: labor unions like the AFL-CIO, the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and the Service Employees International Union, and various parts of the Democratic Party.
Peaceably Assemble
Essentially, “No Kings” is against the Trump Administration on almost every level. The protests are a clear exercise of First Amendment rights: the right to gather together to criticize our own government, publicly and loudly. “No Kings” isn’t calling for a revolution, it’s calling for an end to the most heinous of the Trump policies on immigration, waging foreign wars, and the fraud and corruption so apparent in his Presidency. Oh, and then there’s the whole Epstein thing.
If there’s not a revolution, an immediate physical overturn of the government, than what’s the point? I’d call it “fair warning”. If millions go to the streets to protest, then how many more millions will go to the polls in November? The first move to defend the rights of Americans is to “show up”. The “No Kings” marches are telling Americans to do just that. Millions are showed up yesterday; many, many more millions will show up to vote in November and change America’s government.
Heart of it All
As I noted in an earlier essay, I had surgery (nothing life threatening) a few weeks ago. I’m getting near the end of my “recovery” period (about another week or so to go, I hope). I’m sure marching around the Court House square in Newark, Ohio isn’t supposed to be my fifteen minutes of walking, three times a day, and I’m really not ready for duty at a track meet, yet. But we (Jenn and I) want to be a part of the “body count”, two of the millions who voiced their concern. So we went.
We chose the city of Newark, in the “Heart of it All” here in Ohio. It’s the seat of Licking County. Donald Trump won our county by over 64% in 2024. But there might still be some hope for Licking: in 2023 when the right of women to choose abortion was on the ballot, the county narrowly voted in favor of the amendment (now law in the State Constitution) protecting choice.
And practically, Newark is an “easy” rally, just in case my “recovery” isn’t as complete as I think it is. Worse comes to worse, Jenn and I could drive around the Square, honking and giving the “thumbs’ up” sign to the protestors gathered there.
Court House Square
When we arrived, the crowd of several hundred were already at the Court House steps. It was a jovial affair. Participants were as interested in the signs handmade by others, as they were in the speakers. Various leaders gave speeches, but we all already knew what the message was. Trump is a threat to our Constitutional Republic, our democratic form of government. His actions, from ICE to the Justice Department’s “retributions” to unilaterally going to war against Iran, all are the acts of a “sovereign” dictator. The United States is founded on a series of principles, and one of the foremost of those is simple: No Kings.
There were few hecklers: a couple of guys stereotyping themselves in the American flag baseball hats, Carhartt- tan coats and “Trump 2024” flags. (Full disclosure, I use a Carhartt rain suit for track meets). They tried to disrupt the speakers with a bullhorn, and marched side-by-side around the edge of the crowd. But when they tried to “start something” by yelling, the crowd shouted them down. Really, it’s Newark, Ohio. It’s kind of surprising there weren’t more “counter-protests”. The rally participants took their actions in stride.
The Solution
The single-most important rule of the No Kings marches and rallies: don’t “give cause” for reaction. The headline must be “peaceful protest”, not “riot in the streets”. And while there were a few incidents nationwide (not in Newark), the absolute peacefully, and even joy in unity, of the “No Kings” events is extraordinary.
I’ve had a lot of (positive) involvement with Licking County law enforcement over the years, and they didn’t disappoint at the rally. There were a couple of sheriffs cruisers around, but in general, the police were low key. I’m sure they were there: after all, the rally was at the County Court House. But they stayed out of sight, out of “target” access to protestors and hecklers alike. They let the First Amendment right to free speech, petition for redress of grievances and assembly play out, peacefully, on the Court House square.
Who was there? Lots of folks my age, the retirement-set anxious to bring our country back from the brink of authoritarianism. Young people, some wearing tie-dye in homage to the 1960’s. Veterans, wearing their baseball hats with ships and regions of service. And couples with children, teaching a lesson in involvement.
We rallied on the Court House steps. We marched around the Court House square. And we voiced our concerns, in signs, in songs, in speeches and in chants. But most of all we showed that we were the solution, ready to work for the America we love.
We showed up.
